want to drive a car? no problem but the gas will kill you
(media.greatawakening.win)
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I wouldn't worry too much...lots of companies, even big ones, have lofty ideas for turning plastics into fuels, or innovative ways to recycle that are going to be "the next big thing." They put out all sorts of press releases and get lots of funding, but then abandon the project at the pilot phase because it never can be economical. I work in the plastics industry and see it every day. As one brilliant scientist I knew (who was unfortunately killed by the vax) said, "put money on the table and all sorts of riff-raff will show up." This new push to be "green" and find ways of using discarded plastic is causing tons of big companies and new startups to try things, but almost none of them ever come to fruition in any meaningful quantity.
I thought this video was interesting. I'd love to hear your opinion on it. Do you have any insights if it is toxic in making?
Pyrolysis (burning plastic to produce fuel) can be done, but it generally is going to produce a low quality fuel that needs a lot more refinement to make it comparable to conventional fuel. It's also going to produce off-gases, heavy metals and dioxins, so yeah, I wouldn't do it in my own backyard. It also uses more energy than it could ever produce, which is why it hasn't really caught on as an economical or environmentally friendly way to recycle (not that mechanical recycling is either). So if you wanted to just get rid of excess plastic and you're only doing it on a very small scale, you could do it yourself and be fine, if you're in a very ventilated area, and the things you're putting it in are in a very ventilated area, but I wouldn't expect a very long life from the engines you're putting it into. Also, you have to consider the source of plastic...you do not want to be burning PVC.
I think this fellow in the video is a living Gilligan's Island character. It's a very nice set up he has, but I'm always leery of any plastics. That brings to mind what Eddie Van Halen believed caused his tongue cancer that led to his death. He said he always put the guitar picks in his mouth.
EVH said he thought it was the metal picks.
Guitar picks are made from all different types of plastics, including older plastics like celluloid and bakelite which may have a greater toxicity profile than modern plastics. Bakelite is particularly bad, being made from phenol and formaldehyde. So, he may be right, depending on what his picks were actually made from. You aren't likely to have any problems from PET or HDPE nowadays though...plastics have come a long way.